Dr Marelie Steenekamp Paediatrician

09/12/2025

09/12/2025

Kids learn respect first from how we treat them. Model it, explain it, and they’ll mirror it back. 💛

09/12/2025

08/12/2025

🥩 Best Iron-Rich Foods for Babies & Toddlers 🍳

Iron is essential for growing minds and bodies 💛 Whether you're starting solids or planning toddler meals, these foods help boost iron naturally. Swipe to discover baby- and toddler-friendly iron-rich options you can easily include in daily meals 🥦

05/12/2025

Learn how to prevent hot car deaths this summer. Discover vital tips from ER24 experts to keep children safe from heatstroke in South Africa.

05/12/2025

When screens feel like the safest place
For many autistic young people, the digital world offers something the real world rarely does: predictability. Screens reduce the sensory and social demands that can overwhelm an already hardworking nervous system.

When the world is too loud, bright or fast
Real-life environments are full of unpredictable sounds, movements and social cues. Screens give autistic children control — over brightness, volume, pace and interactions — helping their sensory system settle rather than overload.

When communication becomes easier
Online spaces often feel more manageable because they remove the pressure to interpret facial expressions, tone or fast back-and-forth conversation. Screens offer clarity and time, reducing social anxiety and supporting genuine connection.

When 'special interests' come alive
Autistic passions are powerful regulators. Screens allow uninterrupted exploration of these interests, offering joy, comfort and identity-building in a world that often misunderstands them.

When understanding creates compassion
Seeing screen engagement through an autistic lens shifts us away from fear-based narratives.

When you want the full picture
If you missed our earlier ADHD & Screens visual, take a look — it explains the dopamine side of screen regulation and why ADHD transitions can be so intense. Together, these posts give a complete, brain-based understanding.

05/12/2025

When screens seem to take over
For many young people with ADHD, screens aren’t just entertainment — they offer relief. The digital world provides predictability, structure and focus that their brain struggles to access in everyday environments.

When dopamine finally feels balanced
ADHD brains often start the day with lower baseline dopamine, which affects motivation, focus and emotional regulation. Screens provide rapid, consistent dopamine feedback — which is why the pull feels so strong and transitions can be so intense.

When it’s not “addiction”, it’s neurology
Hyperfocus, task-shifting difficulties and time-blindness mean stopping a preferred activity takes far more cognitive effort. What looks like ignoring or defiance is often a nervous system that simply can’t switch gears without support.

When understanding reduces conflict
Once we see the brain behind the behaviour, everything softens. We stop battling willpower and start supporting regulation — with predictable routines, sensory bridges and connection-first transitions.

When you want more support
I’m sharing the Autism & Screens visual later today, with a full explanation of why the digital world feels safer and more manageable for autistic young people. Keep an eye out — you won’t want to miss it.

05/12/2025

Today’s visual is based on our popular post The Screen-Dopamine Cycle written in script to help parents and carers open gentle, curious conversations about screen use.

It’s not about blame or shame — it’s about understanding what’s happening in the brain, so young people can feel more in control and adults can support without conflict.

If you’d like a printer-friendly version, LIKE the post and comment CYCLE and I’ll drop the link in your replies.

05/12/2025

We are getting a lot of calls about vomiting. Often it is due to Norovirus.

05/12/2025

Many people struggle to stay active simply because they haven’t found an activity they truly enjoy.

The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to follow what others like; physical activity comes in many forms!💪

03/12/2025